


Talk

by monteyjames



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Erik Has Feelings, Healing, M'Baku has powers, M/M, Post-Black Panther (2018), Post-Black Panther (2018) AU, T'Challa appears in flashback, suppressed emotions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 18:02:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14384064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monteyjames/pseuds/monteyjames
Summary: AU where Erik is paying penance by helping T’Challa find all of the vibranium caches that Klaue left behind. Being that T’Challa is a more well known public figure now, he can’t operate outside of Wakanda the way he wishes to all the time, and that’s where Erik comes in. M’Baku is sent alongside Erik as extra muscle in case trouble occurs… or Erik goes rogue. This mission however is particularly important because it brings Erik back to his place of birth in Oakland, CA





	1. Senses

Erik: This is some bullshit

Shuri: Calm down! You’re only going to be there for a few days at most. We just need to confirm our sources and round up the cache so that we keep it from falling into dangerous hands

Erik: But here tho? Of ALL places? Y’all couldn’t send me to one of that racist’s spots in Japan or South Africa or wherever?

Shuri: I thought you of all people would be fine with this location being that you used to live here. 

Erik: Yeah. I used to live in Oakland, that don’t mean I wanna come back! Shit!

Shuri: Ohhhh get over it you big baby! Again it’s only a few days and it shouldn’t be any trouble

M’Baku: Shouldn’t have to take a few days at all. It should only be done in one! And Erik is strong enough to be able to take on a few mercenaries on his own. I don’t need to be here and especially for something that is really YOUR problem.

Erik: Yeah! I DON'T need a babysitter. Especially not some 300 lbs gorilla!

M’Baku: This gorilla can still throw you off a bridge somewhere for your corpse to be collected.

Erik: Try me nigga

Shuri: Enough you two! Now there should be an operative waiting with a vehicle near you as soon as you exit the airport. M’Baku I’ve taken into account your large size so the vehicle is one of those American made trucks. 

M’Baku: I guess a thanks is in order, girl…

Shuri: I accept your humblest thanks. Now let’s remember our cover shall we?

Erik: Really I don’t need that much of a cover since I was born and raised here. This fool’s name is Dominick. A cousin of mine from the Caribbean. I’m just simply showing him around where I used to live. 

The two men made it outside to the driveway and met with the operative. M’Baku promptly took the keys from the operative to the bewilderment of Erik. 

Erik: Whatchu doin?

M’Baku: What? I’m driving. What do you expect?

Erik: Do you even know how to drive a car?

M’Baku: Do you think that we Jabari are so primitive that we can’t drive a simple car?

Erik: Yeah. Just about. 

M’Baku: You wound me. I’m driving. You can be my navigator and show me the way. Princess, where are our quarters? 

Shuri: There’s a motel near the new Wakandan outreach center. Nakia and Xoliswa will be at the outreach center and should’ve already gotten an accurate read on where the vibranium cache is located. But they are too busy with what the center needs so you just need to settle yourselves for a time

M’Baku: Hmph

Erik: Easy to say for a girl who’s chillin back in Wakanda 

So M’Baku loaded up the back of the truck with his and Erik’s bags and quickly got into the driver’s seat he may have boasted a little bit with being a good driver, but again, the Jabari chief and his people weren’t technologically illiterate. Just don’t expect them to ride around in hover vehicles or have this abundance of extremely futuristic technology all over the place. It wasn’t their way. 

Erik: Yo, imma just put this shit in the gps. All yo ass gotta do is just take us to the motel okay? And watch the road!

M’Baku: For someone who is from this city and supposed to be so strong, you’re very tense and nervous

Erik: Man, I ain’t nervous. I just know this place too well. Gangs and killer cops roaming around. People gotta deal with a lot of shit here because no one gave a damn so we’re hardened. 

M’Baku: Sad to hear, but I can sense your feelings. It’s something deeper than that. 

Erik: Nigga ain’t nothing going on with me so stop asking. Worry about the damn road!

M’Baku: Heh. I can multitask. 

Erik: Ugh

The memories continued to flood in of his life here. The death of his parents, being placed in group homes. Having to fight for himself. Getting jumped. Taking his first life. So much had happened to him in his adolescence all before being chosen for MIT and the military. They plagued him like ghosts to the point where his blood began to boil and his emotions were so strong it was as if his emotions were almost radiating. M’Baku’s heightened senses were going haywire from Erik’s. No matter how calm the Jaguar appeared to be from the outside, he was seething on the inside and M’Baku felt like HE was going to explode. HIS heart was beating fast and his arms were tensing as if he was going to break the damn steering wheel. 

M’Baku reached out to Erik, placing his hand on his shoulder and trying to rub it as a means of easing some of that tension they both were feeling at this point. Erik jerked his shoulder out of M’Baku’s hand and slapped it away

Erik: Don’t touch me

M’Baku: Then control your emotions. You’re not the only one with the strength of a beast inside you. I can feel them as if they were my own. 

Erik: My emotions. Are. In. Check. You pissing me off tho acting like I got a problem. And getcho big ass hand off me!

M’Baku: You are like a whiny child! 

M’Baku slapped his arm

Erik: Did you just-? Are we really doin this right now? 

Erik began slapping at M’Baku and M’Baku returned the favor. These two kept slapping at each other along the way to the area. It was almost comedic to see such a display of childishness between the two. 

M’Baku: Enough already! We’re here! 

Seeing location of his old home where his father was killed, made Erik freeze. To see the building still standing was like a terrible walk down memory lane. 

Erik in his mind: Oh fuck

M’Baku: Are you coming or are you just going to sit in the truck like a petulant child?

Erik: Man shut the fuck up! I’m coming!

So they walked in. Erik took a deep breath as his memories began to flood his mind. Fear and anger danced around the inside of his head and heart like they were dance floors. He only snapped out of it when he felt M’Baku’s hand on his shoulder again. 

Erik: what the fuck is with this dude touching me?

He smacked the giant’s hand off and proceeded down the hall. For what it’s worth, it was like a whole new place. The halls were repainted and some walls were knocked down. New rooms were reconstructed and the center almost looked like they just walked back into Wakanda. And it wasn’t even done yet! But damn, the wakandans did some amazing work so far. 

Nakia: Well this is… a pleasant surprise

Erik: yeah. We won’t expecting to run into yo ass either 

M’Baku: ignore him. The little girl told us that you had some information about this stolen vibranium that we need to find. 

Nakia: yes. Come this way. We have items that may give us a clue as to where you’ll find it exactly. Maybe… Erik here will be able to confirm something for us as well. 

M’Baku: oh yes. I forgot to ask. How is my cousin Asira? I know that she joined with you on planning in regards to the social outreach thing

Nakia: She’s actually been taking charge I might say. Either we end up thinking of the same ways that we can implement programs that can engage the youth and community on their level or she’s already thought of them before I even have. This girl is ahead of it! 

M’Baku: hah! That’s Asira for you. Ambitious, headstrong and loving

Erik: *yawns* where’s the damn info at?

Nakia:*sideeyes him*…. Xoliswa has it… and here she is. 

Xoliswa: Chief M’Baku… Prince N’Jadaka… it is an honor to meet you. now we managed to track down some coordinates to an auto shop near north Oakland. But when we investigated, we found… this 

Xoliswa activates her kimoyo beads to reveal a hologram of a crime scene. Bodies were littered throughout the interior of the auto shop, all laying in pools of their own blood

Erik: Ooooooo yeah… this would happen

Xoliswa: Yes. It appears that there was a conflict of interests. Multiple bodies were found throughout the shop area. It looked like some of them may have been participants-

Erik: They were. It’s easy to tell. Judging by the clothes and the colors, it was two different gangs. I definitely wanna say that the ones in black with all that goddamn plaid are cholos. The ones in blue are crips. The shop looks like it belonged to the cholos so likely they might’ve been holding the vibranium for Klaue but word about his death spread and suddenly the other gangs got hip to it and the crips were the ones to move in on em first. 

Everyone else: *stares in bewilderment*

Erik: What? Remember I grew up here! You learn fast what you getting into and gotta deal with. In this case I had to learn what not to wear, what not to say, and where not to be. Along with who I don’t associate with. It’s like that in this country and THIS STATE ESPECIALLY. 

Nakia: Well. You’re the subject matter expert after all. 

Erik: I know. Now, were there cops or any signs that they had been in the area?

Nakia: Actually, yes. Some of the bodies had been disturbed. Like they had been examined and maybe moved. We checked for any trace evidence of footprints, fingerprints, anything and everything, and found that a few belonged to some officers currently on the force. 

Erik: Just as I thought. Alright sooo any chance of a best case scenario just died. Looking at the bodies, I’m assuming that the crips got the vibranium and the cops are looking for them, or worse, the cops were the executioners for this shit and they got it. But we gotta start at that shop again.

Xoliswa: Wait. Erik why would the local law enforcement being in possession of the vibranium be a bad thing? 

Erik: Yo’ name Xoliswa right? You ain’t been here too long I see. As someone who’s grown up here, trust me when I say that cops are just as bad as the gangs. Maybe worse because they’re funded by the state. I bet even Nakia’s witnessed some of the bullshit they’ve done since she’s a war dog herself. 

Nakia: Either way, this can’t be in the wrong hands. We may have agreed to share what we have but the stolen ores may already have been converted into weaponry. A simple nugget can deal damage to a city block alone. 

M’Baku: We’ll get it back. Thankfully the child gave us some suits that we can use to look at everything and hopefully track the vibranium. We can get started on finding it tonight as soon as we get settled in, or we can rest and re-energize ourselves and shoot for the morning, but it may be better to do it in the nighttime as we’ll have more of a cover and fewer witnesses

Erik: … the fuck?

M’Baku:What? do you all truly think so low of us? This is disappointing

Erik: Whatever. Look, we got what we came here for. We can do this shit tonight and probably manage to get the vibranium cache back before sunrise. I wanna get out of here.

M’Baku: Fine with me. But I’m dropping this stuff at the motel and changing really quick. Also that flight we had to take left me hungry. What is there to eat around here?

Erik: Are you serious? 

M’Baku: We have a few hours to kill and it’s better for us to move under the cover of night anyway. Now are there any vegetarian places?

Erik: You’re fucking with me right? How are you a vegetarian and you big as hell?

M’Baku: How are you not buried in the ocean?

Erik: Man, Fuck You. Let’s just go!

So the duo take their leave for the motel, and find themselves not too far from the outreach center. The sight of the motel building alone was what they could consider as disrespectful to their fucking eyes. The building looked as if it contained random drug deals going on and that the police would break in and arrest everybody in sight at any minute. Random Windows were broken and many walls were cracked and dirty. It’s a surprise that this building was still standing because any minute now it could collapse. Oddly enough they checked in at the front desk to find someone who was another war dog informing them that they had little to worry about as far as other guests. The motel was completely empty and the police were bought off. The only thing was that there went anyone sent to renovate the building. The two men expected to get their own rooms however, that wasn’t happening either. The war dog gave them one single key, told them “good luck” and sent them on their way. 

The two arrived to their room to find it barely any better than the sight of the motel. 

M’Baku: Well… here we are

Erik: What. The. Fuck. This is some bullshit. Now Wakanda got all this money in the fucking world with T’Challa sitting on $500 billion and you telling me that they couldn’t stash us in somewhere nice? 

M’Baku: this is… disgusting. Even OUR poorest people live better than this!

Erik: EXACTLY! 

M’Baku: I somehow have a feeling that this is because of _you_

Erik: HOW.

M’Baku: Maybe it’s because the Elders still don’t like you 

Erik: I don’t give a fuck if they like me or not. Last time I checked, I didn’t ask for their approval. Ugh!

Erik tossed his things on the bed near the window and sat down as M’Baku began to FULLY undress. 

Erik: woah! Yo what you doing!?

M’Baku: What? I’m changing.

Erik: You can’t take that shit to the damn bathroom or something 

M’Baku: What are you embarrassed to see the human body in its bare form? I wouldn’t take a man who’s taken hundreds of lives and dismembered bodies to be disturbed by seeing a naked one. 

Erik: *embarrassed and looking away* Man fuck you. I just don’t wanna see that shit

M’Baku: Hmph. whatever. 

His words said one thing but Erik’s underlying emotions betrayed him. It was easy for M’Baku to tell that Erik was lying and he was tempted. Both of the men looked away from each other, but his senses were running wild. It was like Erik was actually wanting him to take his time, even though he protested about wanting to leave from Oakland ASAP. M’Baku put on a black sweatshirt and black stretch pants and the two warriors readied to leave.

Erik complained about M’Baku getting food, but he ignored him. It was best for him to drain the time down until it was dark. Regardless if the bodies were still there or not, they had work to do. We can only hope they don’t kill each first. Daylight was still out and with there being enough time to take a little tour of the surrounding area. M’Baku was honestly a bit mesmerized by the city. Not for it being better than home, but more so for it being somewhere he’s never been to. He wanted to take in as much of the city as possible for he wasn’t sure that he’d get this opportunity again. But there was one issue that made this a bit hard to enjoy: his partner. 

Now it was getting annoying. Clearly, Erik had gone through a lot in his life and he can claim all he wants that he’s fine, but he’s got years worth of memories buried away and this time, they’re screaming out to him. It just made M’Baku curious as to how he’s acting so far removed from them and exploding or how he’s not aware that someone else is picking up on his emotions. And then, suddenly M’Baku felt something different from him. Not anger nor fear, but longing. He looked in Erik’s direction to find him staring out in the direction of a nearby pier. Like a memory of a time that he wanted to go back to was clamoring to get out. 

Erik: This is where you wanna take your exit so we can get back over there. 

M’Baku: … no. 

Erik: Huh? 

M’Baku: We’re stopping over here first. We have plenty of time. 

Erik: What? Naw. Let’s just get this over with. 

M’Baku: Just trust me. 

Erik: HA! 

He turned onto the exit and drove to nearby parking lot for the pier. He also made sure to take the food because Erik is petty enough to toss the veggie burgers into the trash. So to the edge of the pier they walked, side by side, M’Baku biting into one of his burgers

Erik: You know that shit will get you fat right?

M’Baku:Hush. I know that you are toying with me

Erik: Whatever. why are we here anyway?

M’Baku: Because. It’s clear you wanted to be here

Erik: Nigga I ain’t said near one thing about wanting to go to the fucking pier

M’Baku: But you did. There’s something you wanted here… Isn’t there?

Erik: … nah

M’Baku: Stop that. Now Tell me. what is it about this place? I’m not going to stop until you tell me. 

Erik: Fine. When I was a kid, my pops used to take me here. It was where he first taught me to swim. And where my Mom took me… after he died. 

M’Baku wanted to give him his condolences, but he kept silent and listened, thinking that Erik would feel like he’s being pitied. 

Erik: I guess you wanna know more huh? Well you can’t tell my cousin this. But when he would teach me, I would get a little scared cuz i struggled to float in the water you know? He eventually taught me a way to get past that. One day he went out there with me, and he held me up. Taught me how to let go and to trust myself. Trust the waters. It took me a few more tries, but then I finally did it. It was wild. And I was… you know what? Forget it. 

M’Baku: No. Say it. You were happy weren’t you?

Erik: Look why do you care so damn bad?

M’Baku: I told you earlier. I can feel what you feel. 

M’Baku gave him a veggie burger

M’Baku: When you took the herb into you, it gave you heightened strength and senses right? It’s the same with us. The gorilla god we worship, _Hanuman_ , had led our ancestors to a sacred place within the mountains. It was there that they found two gifts. The woods that we use which makes our armor and weapons so durable, and an herb. Just like yours, grown… with the blood… of the sacred white gorilla. 

Erik: Hold the fuck up. You saying y’all drank blood?

M’Baku: Ehh. More or less. It’s our tradition for the greatest warrior, and leader of the tribe, to go to this area and face the gorilla, and draw his blood. It gave us abilities of strength, stamina, endurance, and heightened senses. We’re able to sense movements and emotions. 

Erik: So y’all ain’t really all that vegetarian then huh?

M’Baku: Not necessarily. But other than that moment, we are strict in our customs. 

Erik: Suuuuure. 

M’Baku: But do you understand now? I’m not just being overbearing. I can tell that something is wrong with you ever since we left from the airport. I just don’t understand this one thing about you.

Erik stares at him bewildered

M’Baku: For someone who bears powers similar to T’Challa and Myself, how are you so unaware? 

 

_To be continued…_


	2. mystery

_“How are you so unaware?”_

**_Unaware._** That word rang through Erik’s ears with significance, so much that it pissed him off

Erik: Unaware of what? What the fuck is it that I’m suppose to be so aware of?

M’Baku just looked at Erik for a moment with the same inquisitive look on his face. He looked past Erik’s angry demeanor and could see the boy inside of him, stuck in the same place he was all those years ago. Like no matter how much this adept, intelligent, powerful young man had accomplished, it didn’t remove him from the scared and angry child inside of him. M’Baku had practically spaced out as he stared at this child. Wanting to help him break away from this curse that he’s been trapped within his whole life. That is until Erik snapped him back into reality

Erik: Hello? Dominick! EARTH TO DOMINICK! 

M’Baku: Huh? 

Erik: So are you gon answer me or naw?

To be honest, M’Baku almost forgot about the cover name. He was also surprised that Erik remembered but at the same time, Shuri caught him up on Erik’s background so this made sense to him. He shook his head and just let that go for now. Instead, before they had to go to the crime scene, he asked him about something else that was on his mind. 

M’Baku: tell me. Are you aware of _The Djalia_?

Erik: …. what the fuck is that?

*sighs* when a new Black Panther is chosen, he consumes the herb, is buried an-

Erik: Oh that ceremony shit? Yeah I’m aware of the temple

M’Baku: Not the temple! If you’d let me finish, I would’ve told you it’s a place where your soul journeys to meet with your ancestors. You’d have to have been there, no?

Erik took some time to think back to when he first ingested the herb and was buried. He remembered that moment where he was back in the apartment, and talking to his father, but it didn’t make sense to him. To him, that place couldn’t have been real and that the Wakandans were basically feeding each new Black Panther with some good weed. To him, his mind played tricks on him and nothing more

Erik: Ha! You making shit up. That was just a dream. 

M’Baku: The Djalia isn’t some dream. It’s very real. What you dealt with was no hallucination.

Erik: Man save me that bullshit. You may believe that that acid trip shit is real, but that don’t I have to. *gets up* Now come on. Stop asking me crazy shit. The sun’s starting to set and I don’t wanna waste time.

M’Baku didn’t really have a choice because Erik was right. But that DIDN’T take away from the fact that this discussion wasn’t over. He just needed to find something that could bring Erik to the awareness of his emotions. The question is what would be the trigger?

As they drove onto the highway and made their way to the northside of Oakland, there was a bit of agitation between the two men. Erik was hoping that he was wrong, but he knew he wasn’t. And once they get over to the shop, it’ll confirm his suspicions 

M’Baku: I have to ask: when you spoke about the police being involved and possibly making things worse, what did you mean?

Erik: think about how often your people basically had to look out for themselves because the wakandans didn’t give a damn. Now imagine what it would be like if they actually came into your homes, trying to control everything you and threatening to kill you if you got out of line. That’s basically the cops around here. People like us don’t like to call on the police because when they make their way here, they’re more likely to assume that the people who need the most help are the ones who cause the most problems. Or better yet, they’ll do everything in their power to make us look guilty. Whether it’s through aggravating us to where we try to fight back, giving them a reason to arrest us, or planting “evidence”. Hell, these muthafuckas will claim you got a gun just because they see something black in your hand and shoot you on sight.

M’Baku: What in Hanuman’s name?

Erik: Oh you think that’s shocking? They also know about all the gangs. They have all the info on who’s really doing what and where. Undercover operatives, snitches, you name it. But they don’t move on them. Why? They get paid off. Either that or someone is blackmailing the other. But all in all, they know what they’re doing.

M’Baku could sense the anger seething again…

M’Baku: Tell me something.

Erik: What’s up?

M’Baku: Did you ever have one of these encounters with the police before? Did they ever falsely arrest you?

Erik: Nah, I managed to avoid them all my life. It’s not easy getting into one of these High profile schools with a record on you. I don’t need that.

M’Baku: … right

Wasn’t really much more to say to that, but it was easy to understand. He knew however that Erik was lying through his teeth based off of his senses alone. He knows that something happened, but he wasn’t about to press for it right now as they were getting closer to their destination.

M’Baku: We’re here.

Erik: Alright. Kill the headlights real quick and park in that alleyway. Incase anybody gets suspicious hit the stealth too.

M’Baku: You’re being extra cautious for a crime scene…

Erik: Wouldn’t you? And be honest

He couldn’t really counter that because it was appropriate for the current job. But M’Baku is more of a kick the door down and start kicking ass type of guy. And this is a job that requires as much stealth as possible. They activated the suits that Shuri made for them and within an instant, the street clothes dissolved and they were covered head to two in all black. Erik had an updated version of the Jaguar habit that originally stole, and M’Baku’s habit appeared to be similar in design to the others, but with white accents instead of purple or gold, and the helm being shaped to appear like a gorilla’s face. It was a bit funny however, as M’Baku wasn’t used to such form fitting wear.

M’Baku: Still doesn’t feel right to wear this. It feels… tight

Erik: Says the nigga who put on a stripshow in the damn hotel earlier.

M’Baku: Ohhhhh so you WERE watching me then

Erik: W-What? Sh-Shut up! Ain’t nobody tryna watch yo fatass!

M’Baku: Say what you want, but actions always deceive words.

Erik: Man fuck you! Now let’s see if we can pick up a damn trail.

Erik took to scanning the outer perimeter of the building to see if there were any outside alarms and made quick work of them. He then proceeded to break the locks and motioned for M’Baku to proceed behind him quietly. As they made their way in, they caught whiff of a heavy stench...

M’Baku: Ugh!!! What in Hanuman’s name...?!

Erik: What the fuck… why are the bodies still here…?

M’Baku: I thought that you Americans were quick to collect your dead!

Erik: They ARE. Something else is going on here. I don’t like it at all.

M’Baku: Like the fact that there’s a few bodies missing?

Erik: Fuck!!! You’re right. If i remember from the video, there were twelve corpses. Looks like two from the crips are missing. It doesn’t make sense though! Why take the bodies

M’Baku: It doesn’t make sense at all. Not unless the victims somehow have something to do with the missing vibranium.

Erik: You thinking what I’m thinking?

M’Baku That the vibranium is in a container with a fingerprint scanner and one of the bodies is needed to unlock it

Erik: Damn. you really are smarter than you look

M’Baku: And I’m also who you think about when you touch yourself at night

Erik: WHAT THE FUCK?!

M’Baku: HAHAHAHAHA Learn to take a joke!

Erik: *sucks teeth* man! Shut the fuck up!

_Shuri: I really wish the both of you idiots would stop flirting already or whatever it is you are doing._

Erik: Shuri?! What the hell you want?! And ain’t you supposed to be sleep or something? And ain’t no flirting goin on!!

_Shuri: Well for one, it’s morning here, and two, I’m going to be backseating this entire mission so that we can ensure everything runs smoothly. And by smoothly, I mean that we don’t have an international incident on our hands because YOU TWO wanted to go on an adrenaline fueled rampage._

M’Baku: What?! I was going to do no such thing

Erik: I already know that’s a lie

M’Baku: Says the mass murderer

Erik: You know wha-

_Shuri: FOCUS!!!_

Shuri had also built in a nice little soundwave emitter which can be activated from anywhere and affect whomever she choose

M’Baku: AGH!! That wasn’t necessary!

_Shuri: Yes indeed it was. Now, take a look at the bodies. Actually touch them. There is a new feature that I programmed into your suits and I need to make sure it’s working properly._

Erik: What? Like a fingerprint scanner?

_Shuri: Just about. But with an added feature of identifying traces of Vibranium. And also identifying anyone else the victim might’ve come in contact with._

M’Baku: Like the police…

_Shuri: Exactly! I’ve been reviewing all of the conversations you’ve had over the last 24 hours so that I’m caught up on what’s going on._

Erik: Oh we having a long ass discussion about that when this is over. But back to what’s going on. You telling me that you did alladat, but you can’t make a scanner doesn’t require us picking up rotting corpses? 

_Shuri: It doesn’t. I just wanted the two of you be grossed out._

The jaguar and the gorilla stopped in their tracks and stood there, quietly pissed. Shuri let out a laugh that basically ensured that these two were going to get their revenge on her as soon as they landed back in Wakanda. And should T’Challa try to stand in their way, Erik would throw him off of the cliffs again. 

Erik: Imma kill her

M’Baku: Get in line

_Shuri: Anyway! It looks like I’ve found something.uploading it into your kimoyo beads now._

They flicked their wrists and the holograms revealed the data Shuri pulled up. There were indeed strong vibranium energy signatures in the building, but not how they expected. There were bullet holes littered throughout the room. And bullet residue made of the precious metal they sought. 

Erik: Ohhhhhh shit…

There was definitely something deeper going on here. The next set of data contained information on the fingerprints found throughout the room. Shuri outdid herself because this was able to pull up a database of everyone who had been in that place over the past week. But thankfully she had shifted through all of the unnecessary stuff like the information on the victims and random passers by. What stood out though, was something that Erik had called earlier. A group of profiles had surfaced, but one of the profiles had stood out to him. M’Baku had also noticed a bit of a sharp pain in his chest that felt familiar to him. Erik was having one of his suppressive moments again and it had something to do with the information they had just received. He stood almost frozen in place, like he had been turned to stone. M’Baku however could feel Erik’s hands shaking and his heart beating rapidly.

Erik: Shuri. Tell me about this one in the middle.

_Shuri: him? His name is Steven Polasky. Age: 52. 5’11”, 182 lbs. Looks like he has been an officer for over 20 years. Decorated career from the look of it._

Erik: you got any read on his current location?

_Shuri: hrm. Here’s where it gets odd. He’s not anywhere to be found. He’s not deceased nor have there been any reports of him missing or in danger. But the fact that I’m looking up everything that I can find on him, and can’t seem to get a read on his last known location from today is suspicious. In fact, none of these officers can seem to be found at this moment. Another thing? One of you, scan the bodies right now. There’s something about the exit wounds that doesn’t appear to be right to me._

M’Baku went ahead and scanned each of the bodies with his Kimoyo beads. He got curious based off of what he heard and went ahead to scan the guns that for some reason remained on some of the victim’s person. 

_Shuri: by Bast…_

Erik & M’Baku: What?

_Shuri: there was a shooting indeed. But judging from the exit wounds and the majority of the bullet holes, these men did not shoot and kill each other. They were assassinated._

Erik: figured…

_Shuri: another thing. All of the holes in the walls and appeared to have been fired from a singular direction. And it came from the direction of the garage doors. There also appears to be an additional alloy found in the bullets. The vibranium is tainted. So i doubt that you’d be able to trace it back to its source._

Erik: so we got missing cops, assassinated gang members, a few missing bodies, AND downgraded vibranium bullets that we can’t track. Fucking Great

M’Baku: please tell us that you can actually create something that could locate them.

_Shuri: I can collaborate with Asira and Xoliswa, who can probably build a device to scan what is masking the locations of the police. Make sure that you collect some evidence from the crime scene so that they can have something of reference._

Erik: we seriously ain’t gonna go search for them now?

M’Baku: it wouldn’t make sense for us to run around blind trying to find them. And as soon as we did, we would have to waste time finding the others. Let’s just regroup and try again tomorrow okay?

M’Baku had again place his hand on Erik’s shoulder to ease the tension a bit.

Erik: man whatever. Let’s just go. 

M’Baku: Shuri, i’m going to need you to go do something else right now.

_Shuri: and what exactly do you expect me to do?_

M’Baku: anything that doesn’t involve you listening in on us, little girl.

Shuri: _ugh! Whatever!_

Shuri disengaged from the communicators while the duo went back to the truck, which thankfully hadn’t been stolen or broken into yet. As soon as they were back in the truck and disengaged the suits, they had grabbed the duffle bags from back seat and changed. Apparently, Shuri had yet to work out that feature of the suits disintegrating civilian clothing, but likely she just wanted to mess with her two favorite nuisances. M’baku had paused for a bit just to look at Erik again, something that was really starting to piss him off.

Erik: why the fuck ain’t you driving?

M’Baku: you’re really not going to talk about you freezing up in the garage a few minutes ago?

Erik: you seriously doing this shit again? What is it going to take for you to stop?

M’Baku: you opening up more, clearly. What was it about that cop?

Erik: Nothing man

M’Baku: no. it was something. We won’t go anywhere until you speak

Erik: and what if I just decided to get out if this car and go on my own?

M’baku: truck. And I would chase after you 

Erik: and what if i decided to whoop yo ass?

M’Baku: we’ve already went over this, you can’t beat me in a fight.

Erik: Aight, then how about this: we spar tomorrow morning. You whoop my ass, and I tell you about that shit from earlier.

M’baku: is that a promise?

Erik: yeah. But if you DON’T, you’re gonna shut the fuck up for the rest of this mission. Got it?

M’baku: ha! I accept your terms. But I promise you that I won’t lose.

Erik: we’ll see about that then. Now start driving. I’m tryna get a good amount of sleep for the morning

So M’Baku drove back to the hotel. Driving under the night sky, nothing but silence between the two of them, and only light from the street lamps, the buildings and the cars that were out at night peering through their windows. M’baku took glances at Erik every now and then to see how he was holding up. Erik was careful however as he looked back at m’baku. He didn’t wanna be caught by the giant. He’d probably sooner die than to admit, but he was comforted by the fact M’Baku gave a damn about him. It didn’t make sense to him at all, but he didn’t bother to question it for now. But M’Baku could feel it. He could feel Erik’s true feelings deep down. And it wasn’t JUST appreciation and comfort that he felt. Erik didn’t want to admit that he was feeling a sense of attraction....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooooo this three chapters thing isn't gonna happen. not meaning that this thing is getting canceled, god no. but rather that this is gonna get completed and be long as hell. fuck it. I need the practice with writing long stories anyway. and this is not just for me. But for #KillBaku. Anyhell, let me know what you all think in the comments section. send kudos. share if can. and be sure to click on my name and check out my other works. I greatly appreciate all of it, and I will be working on chapter three for you all. Hopefully with less writer's block. peace


	3. Insomnia (Chapter 2.5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik has trouble sleeping

Erik may have said that he wanted to get some sleep, but that was just not happening. He tried to doze off using every trick in the book, but nothing was working. Maybe it was because a certain ROOMMATE of his was snoring so damn loud, it could be heard all the way from WAKANDA. He was at his rope’s end. And the only way to really resolve this issue was through peaceful methods of de escalation…

“Imma kill him”

It was the most rational thing he could think of doing at this point. So he sat up right in his bed, shut his eyes, took a deep breath, grabbed one of his pillows and began to swing it so hard and fast until he could hear nothing but whooshing noises and barely see the object in its original form. Erik then calmly and politely threw it directly at M’Baku’s head, smacking him so loudly that it almost sounded like a thunderous boom. And with it, the snoring ended, and maybe even the Jabari King’s life…

“Ahh, Diplomacy…” Erik whispered to himself as he proceeded to lay his head and shut his eyes…

… until the snoring started up again. And as soon as it started, Erik’s eyes shot open and his head turned slowly to see this man still alive and loud as hell. He was pissed. 

“Are. You. Fucking. Serious?!”

He decided that enough was enough. Fuck the fact that this might start a civil war within Wakanda. Fuck the fact that he might destabilize the nation and leave it vulnerable to attack by the US, Russia, China, and Britain. It was about getting some damn peace and quiet. He activated his suit to extend his claws and slowly stood over M’Baku’s naked body, ready to slash away. Erik raised one arm above his head and quickly… 

… snapped out of it.

“Fuck”, he thought to himself. He retracted his claws, deactivated his suit, and then sat back down on his bed. Who was he kidding? For all of M’Baku’s snoring, it really was no worse than when he was training in the military because there were nights he’d deal with 30 other guys who made up a whole orchestra. No. The real reason why Erik couldn’t sleep had to do with what happened to him. 

You see, he had ended up in a coma rather than dying. The shock of having a sword through his chest sent both his vital organs and the juices of the heart shaped herb into overdrive, and as a result, his body had temporarily shut down. He appeared to be dead, and T’Challa was going to honor his last words until someone had noticed his body twitching in the coffin. 

When he was hospitalized despite the protests of many Wakandans, T’Challa refused to allow him to die as he saw this as a sign from Bast that his cousin deserved a second chance. He wanted redemption for his lost cousin and knew that it was possible. But what Erik endured was far beyond what anyone knew. Being in between life and death tore his soul into pieces and put him back in a semi broken state. So much so to the point that since waking up out of his coma, he’s refused to sleep no matter how fatigued he would be. It was particularly sad some days because he would literally fight anyone if it meant staying awake. He might not admit it to even himself, but Erik was scared. 

 

it was almost sad when T’Challa would see him around the palace because he could sense what Erik was going through. On the surface, he would walk around straight faced, almost emotionless aside from showing irritation, looking through everyone, and only speaking with people that he needed to speak to. But on the inside, a whirlwind of anguish. T’Challa couldn’t even talk to him because every attempt at a conversation would end like so:

_T’Challa: Erik, how are you?_

_Erik: I’m good now fuck off_

_T’Challa: listen. I know what you’re going thr-_

_Erik: look. You don’t know shit. And stop tryna to get me to talk to you!_

_T’Challa: But-_

_Erik: you may be the king and all but I don’t have to speak to you beyond the necessary. And this ain’t it. Back. The fuck. Off! *walks away*_

Maybe that was why he sent Erik back to Oakland. Probably couldn’t stand the sight of him anymore so he needed him gone for little while. At least, that’s what Erik thought. The jaguar looked back over to the sleeping gorilla made a deep sigh. He wondered why a guy who has absolutely nothing to do with this whole situation even bother with him in the first place. And he wondered why he was attracted to him as well. I mean it wasn’t like M’Baku wasn’t physically attractive, but maybe it had something to do with the fact that he may actually have given a damn about him. And only one other person has ever made him feel this way…

But that’s a story for another time. 

There was no way he was getting any sleep. He had no choice but to awaken and do something with himself and escape what was haunting him. He had to forget about all of it. So he got out of his bed, put some pants and a jacket on, and left the hotel room to see if there was something for him to break. Erik made his was down into the hotel lobby only to find the undercover desk worker, Bandile, just hanging out and reading a magazine. 

Erik: wasn’t it like 3 o’clock yesterday when I saw you here?

Bandile: yes. Your point being?

Erik: don’t you ever sleep?

Bandile: do you ever have the need to take a shit? Exactly

Erik: so you’re one of those smart asses

Bandile: Only if you give me a pointless question. 

Erik: whatever, nigga

Bandile: so I’m guessing the crown prince can’t sleep because he didn’t really do anything tonight

Erik: I ain’t tellin you shit

Bandile: don’t have to. It’s easy to see all over your damn face. You’re frustrated. 

Erik refused to answer

Bandile: look. I got a way for you to take out your frustrations since you not sleeping for the rest of the night. Go to the “pool” area out back. Got some practice dummies for you to fight. 

Erik looked at him, slightly perplexed

Bandile: don’t give me that look. Just go on. You ain’t gotta worry about twelve or nothing like that. Remember: us wakandans are known for hiding in plain sight. Now go on. Right through that hallway over there. 

Erik: aight then

Erik continued down the pathway that Bandile directed him to, as the desk manager shook his head and went back to reading his magazine. The jaguar stepped outside to find a large empty pool with a set of mannequins stationed within it. He shrugged and climbed his way down and upon touching the floor of the pool, a shift occurred and the mannequins had sprung to life, materializing swords, shields, and spears in their hands. 

Erik: robots? Interesting. It’d be nice if I had a weapon to-

Before he could even finish his sentence, two tables formed on each side of him. He was impressed to be honest

Erik: and I ain’t gotta worry about getting interrupted tonight? I guess imma have some fun then

He grinned as he took two swords into his hands and readied himself to battle the live mannequins. Out of 20 of them, ten proceeded as the first wave and charged at him like any other warriors on the battlefield he immediately dodged the first attacker and swung his sword to knock it off balance and quickly blocked the oncoming attacks from the ones that followed. For “dummies”, they were formidable and every move he dodged and attempted to counter, he was met with counters and little hesitation to let him get the advantage. He was impressed though. And this was going to be a long night…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY HAVE A SHORT ONE!!!!!!!!!! Also, I decided to give the guy running the rundown hotel a name and a personality. along with giving a bit of a crack into Erik's head. But don't worry, it'll all be fully explained in due time. and due to this system, I might just create a series tag and repost this chapter as a standalone under that so that way the numbering doesn't confuse anyone down the road

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first attempt at trying something a little more serious in tone again. I remember that from the comic books, M'Baku had powers but the way that he gained his powers wasn't exactly pretty. It can't be helped. I also WASN'T expecting this to go as long as it did but with the way that it's going, this will definitely be multiple chapters. I'm hoping that I can keep it at three chapters. But all in all, I appreciate everyone reading so far. let me know what you think about it in the comments section and stay tuned. peace


End file.
